Induce Despair MTG Card

Induce Despair offers card efficiency through potential one-for-one creature removals during gameplay. Instant speed provides flexibility and can disrupt an opponent’s strategy effectively. Dependency on creature cards in hand may limit strategical surprises in MTG matches.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeInstant

Text of card

As an additional cost to cast Induce Despair, reveal a creature card from your hand. Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the revealed card's converted mana cost.

All the angel saw was her doom.

Cards like Induce Despair

Induce Despair holds its own in the realm of creature elimination spells within Magic: The Gathering. Analogous to it, Doom Blade presents itself as a straightforward alternative, offering swift removal of a non-black creature for less mana. Unitlizing only two mana compared to Induce Despair, Doom Blade lacks the additional benefit of scaling with the highest converted mana cost among the creatures you control.

In the same spectrum, there’s Go for the Throat, another efficient creature removal that excludes artifact creatures for two mana at instant speed. It doesn’t hinge on the power of your own creatures, unlike Induce Despair which has the potential for a more impactful removal depending on your battlefield presence. Reckless Spite also enters the fray, offering a two-for-one creature removal at the expense of five life, providing a significant advantage in terms of card economy over the singular target removal of Induce Despair.

Evaluating these options, Induce Despair offers a unique angle in removal spells, where a player’s creatures can influence the spell’s strength, underscoring it as a variable yet potent choice for those who can capitalize on its creature-dependent mechanic in their MTG gameplay strategy.

Doom Blade - MTG Card versions
Go for the Throat - MTG Card versions
Reckless Spite - MTG Card versions
Doom Blade - MTG Card versions
Go for the Throat - MTG Card versions
Reckless Spite - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Induce Despair provides a situational boost in card efficiency by potentially removing a creature from your opponent’s board without losing a card yourself. This one-for-one exchange can tip the scales in your favor during the match.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly increasing your mana, Induce Despair can accelerate your game plan by efficiently dealing with threats. This allows you to allocate resources elsewhere, furthering your board presence or strategic setup.

Instant Speed: Induce Despair’s instant speed gives you the flexibility to act on your opponent’s turn. This unpredictability can disrupt their strategy and allows you to make decisions with more information, responding to their plays in real-time.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Induce Despair necessitates revealing a creature card from your hand, which could reduce your element of surprise and strategic options.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s Black mana requirement can sometimes be restrictive, especially in multi-colored decks that may struggle with mana flexibility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including two Black, its cost to benefit ratio may not always be favorable when compared to other removal spells available in the game.

Reasons to Include Induce Despair in Your Collection

Versatility: Induce Despair is a robust addition to black decks that need removal options. Its ability to scale with the highest converted mana cost among creatures you control makes it adaptable in various situations, dealing with threats across different stages of the game.

Combo Potential: For decks that utilize high-cost creatures, Induce Despair can become a devastating spell. It pairs well with decks that focus on putting big creatures into play early, enabling both offensive and defensive strategies to flourish.

Meta-Relevance: With creature-centric decks often dominating play, having an instant-speed removal like Induce Despair can shift the momentum in your favor. It’s particularly effective in a meta where large creatures are prevalent, taking them out with ease and often at a critical moment in the match.

How to beat

Induce Despair is a unique removal spell in Magic the Gathering. It really shines when you have a creature with high converted mana cost (CMC) in your hand, potentially taking out a key component of your opponent’s board. For those on the receiving end of this card, careful hand management becomes critical. If you suspect your opponent has Induce Despair, consider playing creatures with lower CMC or using spells that can’t be targeted.

Another strategy is to utilize cards that offer hexproof or protection from black spells to shield your vital creatures from being destroyed. Counterspells also prove highly effective in guarding against Induce Despair, disrupting your opponent’s plans before they even unfold. Additionally, keeping a watchful eye on your opponent’s open mana and the type of cards they have in their hand can give you the upper hand in anticipating and countering their strategies. It’s a balancing act of foresight and tactics, but with the correct approach, this spell’s power can be significantly dampened.

To summarize, beating Induce Despair involves a strategic mix of playing lower CMC creatures, using protective measures such as hexproof, and keeping counterspells ready. Awareness of your opponent’s potential moves is also pivotal in turning the tides of the game in your favor.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Induce Despair MTG card by a specific set like Rise of the Eldrazi and Duel Decks: Zendikar vs. Eldrazi, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Induce Despair and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Induce Despair Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2010-04-23 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Igor Kieryluk.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12010-04-23Rise of the EldraziROE 1142003NormalBlackIgor Kieryluk
22015-08-28Duel Decks: Zendikar vs. EldraziDDP 532015NormalBlackIgor Kieryluk
32019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 6902015NormalBlackIgor Kieryluk
42020-09-26The ListPLST DDP-532015NormalBlackIgor Kieryluk

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Induce Despair has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal